Polcyn's Journal
Polcyn's Journal is an item of interest in the World of Thera campaign setting. The journal was discovered by Valeni Mal'Otor in Belzac's Retreat. Polcyn's Journal is a book of handwritten notes and observations believed to be written by the herbalist Polcyn. It describes Belzac's descent into some kind of paranoid madness and her own search for a remedy. Description The book itself is modest and aged. When it is discovered by Valeni Mal'Otor, the blue leather is faded and dusty. The brown leather bindings were weathered and well used at one time, but when found were hardened and cracked upon opening the book. The inside front cover is marked with the name Polcyn. The outer back cover has a small handprint in dirt and dried blood. Contents As much as half of the journal is blank. Polcyn's handwriting is a beautiful rendition of Common script put to paper with a practiced hand. Her style of writing is flowery and at times indirect to the point of rambling when talking about her experiences. At other times, her approach to herbalism and medical practice seems revolutionary in its clinical approach. Both suggest that Polcyn is thoughtful and perceptive. Interspersed between journal notes are several pages of indecipherable notes that seem to suggest some kind of scientific method to the herbalist's work. The beginning entry seems worried that Belzac was growing more demanding, and that his very sanity was slipping. She was trying to find a medical means to help Belzac. People have been disappearing at the Retreat. Polcyn is scared for her and her husband Ifan. Further entries explain that Sharbella was found drowned. Cuent has gone missing, and what is more curious is that no one seems able to broach the topic. Ziano has mentioned privately to Ifan that he is leaving to return to the Rho and that he may not come back to Belzac's Retreat. She complains that Ifan's friendship with Belzac has blinded him to the dwarf's growing instability. Polcyn seems torn between wanting to flee for her life and closing in on a means to restore Belzac's sanity. Her own paranoia extends to the other retreat workers, as she fears that Belzac's insanity has somehow transmitted to the others. She claims to sleep in her office. She seems convinced she is very close to finding a cure. This revelation seems to offer Polcyn some comfort, because she goes on to reveal that Belzac is growing increasingly erratic. He is now sleeping "in the chamber he thinks is a secret" and "goes on and on about something called the Pearl Step under his breath--I don't even think he realizes he is talking about it." The final entry is scrawled in handwriting that seems as a hurried scribble of Polcyn's normally composed script. The statements are particularly jarring because so much of Polcyn's writing is contrastingly verbose. The final entry states the following: Ifan is dead. Belzac killed them all. The Pearl Step is madness. Everything is lost.